Día de los Muertos Celebrations Return to the Northside With Art, Music and Masquerade at BRDG Project

In the 1980s, Denver's Northside hosted the city's first Día de los Muertos celebrations. Arlette Lucero, an artist and curator who has lived in the neighborhood for years, recalls the first time she heard about plans to host an event at Pirate: A Contemporary Art Oasis on Navajo Street, which would become a cultural fixture in the community for years.

"A group of Chicano artists were meeting at a neighbor's house next door, Bob Luna and Martha Keating, and Denver artist Patricio Cordova told us about the Día de los Muertos events that happen in Mexico," Lucero says.

They all agreed they should produce their own event, and "it started out a little bit funny," Lucero recalls, "because we were mixing it up with Halloween in a way. But slowly yet surely, we started fleshing out the celebration with a procession and other events. As long as the Pirate was on the Northside, it was celebrated in this part of town."

When Pirate moved to Lakewood in 2017, so did the tradition. But after witnessing the Northside’s transformation, Lucero felt a pull to restore the Día de los Muertos celebration to its original home.

“This neighborhood has changed so much over the years with gentrification," she says. "In this way, we are honoring the past traditions of this area. ... The gallery kept carrying on the tradition in its new space, and there are events all up and down Santa Fe, but I wanted to bring Día de los Muertos back to the Northside."

To make this dream a reality, Lucero worked with BRDG Project, a gallery and event space on Tejon Street, on two upcoming events at the venue. The first is the Día de los Muertos Art Show, showcasing thirty local artists from Friday, October 11, through November 2.

"None of the pieces are of a similar style," Lucero says. "All of the artists have their own style, so all of the art will be different. We will have multiple mediums, including paintings, sculptures and hanging pieces, so there’ll be some interesting variety. The only thing that unites them is that they’re all themed via Día de los Muertos.”

The gallery is also hosting a Calaveras Masquerade Ball on October 25, with live music from John Romero and the Taco Cats, Cipriano Ortega and DJ Ramirez, as well as storytelling, dancing and face painting. Guests are encouraged to come dressed as either the living or the dead to participate in a costume contest.

"I wanted to do something that would reintroduce the neighborhood to this tradition," Lucreo says. "My goal is to welcome new people, new blood, to this tradition, and make Día de los Muertos fun for everybody."

Día de los Muertos, observed on November 1 and 2, holds a profound place in Mexican culture, celebrating the return of loved ones from the spirit world. It’s a time to honor ancestors with colorful altars (ofrendas), offerings of favorite foods and the creation of intricate sugar skulls. “It’s still happening all over the city,” Lucero notes, “but as far as north Denver, it had kind of ended.”

With its growing popularity, Día de los Muertos is now as much a part of Colorado's annual fall celebrations as Halloween, making this year’s Northside event a significant cultural revival. While its roots lie in Indigenous Mesoamerican rituals practiced by the Aztecs, Mayans and Olmecs, Día de los Muertos has evolved into a celebration that combines solemn tradition with vibrant artistic expression, acknowledging both the inevitability of death and the beauty of life.
“It’s such a huge, sacred event in Mexico,” Lucero says. “Families spend all year saving up to create beautiful altars. It’s both sacred and spectacular, with parades and costumes that really bring people together.”

For anyone seeking an authentic experience that blends history, art and celebration, this is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in a meaningful cultural tradition. More than just an art exhibition or a party, the BRDG Project celebrations are a chance to participate in something deeply rooted in local culture, while also being introduced to new traditions and interpretations of the holiday.

"It’s about honoring the past, but also opening the door for the next generation to experience and appreciate what Día de los Muertos truly means," Lucero explains. "We are showing the art of some of our finest from our Chicano(a) community. The Calaveras Ball is something I hope will become a new way to celebrate for years to come.”

In a time when the Northside is changing rapidly, such events not only preserve tradition but also create a space where the community can continue to grow. By celebrating together, the Northside's Día de los Muertos invites everyone — whether they’ve lived in the neighborhood for decades or just arrived — to connect through shared experiences, music, art and remembrance.

"We are building something special here that I hope will last," Lucero says. "Since Chicano artists initiated the celebrations on the Northside in the 1980s, Día de los Muertos should always take place there."

Día de los Muertos Art Show, Friday, October 11, through Saturday, November 2, Opening Reception Friday, October 11, 5 to 9 p.m.; Calaveras Masquerade Ball, Friday, October 25, 7 to 11 p.m.; BRDG Project Gallery and Event Space, 3300 Tejon Street. Learn more at brdgproject.org.